Foreign minister says Honduran standoff deteriorating

NEW YORK – Attending a special session of the United Nations General Assembly, Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas told reporters that the standoff between deposed President Manuel Zelaya and the de-facto government at the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa is deteriorating.

"It is getting worse every day," Rodas explained to a sparsely attended news conference at U.N. headquarters today.

The meeting with reporters was viewed as an attempt to gain attention for a campaign many have seen as "losing steam."

Zelaya's standoff with the de-facto government is almost a month old, with no clear end in sight, much to the chagrin of the White House.

Rodas reported that the pressure on Zelaya, whom she described as "an honored guest" at the Brazilian embassy, has been "on the increase" and has been multi-faceted.

"The constant state of siege has been accompanied by the use of stadium lights and sharpshooters" posted just outside the embassy, Rodas explained. She added that "noise and psychological warfare" have become daily fare at the besieged diplomatic compound.

"It is a violation of the Geneva Convention," the foreign minister insisted.

Strangely, Rodas would not repeat Zelaya's charge that Israeli mercenaries have been hired by the government to orchestrate the siege at the embassy.

"We do believe that international mercenaries have been hired" for an estimated $300,000 by the Honduran authorities, is all the minister would state.

She repeatedly refused reporters' questions to identify the so-called mercenaries as "Israeli," which Zelaya has done from his sanctuary inside the Brazilian embassy.

The minister preferred to concentrate on the worsening conditions inside the diplomatic compound.

"The regime's human rights violations have increased (during the period)," she pointed out.

Rodas did call for the de-facto government to accept the prospective peace plan (the San Jose accords) brokered by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias by October 15. She pleaded for the international community to "pressure" the government to accept the deadline, but did not specify what should happen if it was ignored.

While several speeches in support of the deposed president were made during the 2009 GA General Debate, one of Zelaya's most critical supporters, Miguel D'Escoto (Nicaragua), has retired as GA president. The former Sandinista foreign minister was replaced by Ali Treki, Libya's former foreign minister, who has taken a less activist approach.

Treki's discreet "hands off" approach mirrors Washington's reported "annoyance" with Zelaya's secret return to Honduras in September before any accord had been brokered.

Special offers:

48 Liberal Lies About American History: (That You Probably Learned in School) (Hardcover)

The Case for Democracy (book)

Threat Closer to Home (Book)

Previous story:

Cuba to U.N.: We're waiting for 'change'

Zelaya return throws wrench in Honduran talks

Obama grilled about Honduran prez drug links